The UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reports that registrations of new cars in 2018 fell by 6.8 percent, a second consecutive annual fall, and the message from Britain's housing market is far from clear.

Major mortgage lender Halifax says prices in December 2018 defied predictions to rise faster than at any time in almost two years, but on an annual basis, the rise for the three months up until December meant it was the weakest year since 2012.

Another report from Nationwide gave contradictory messages, highlighting the slowest annual increase in prices since February 2013, a sign that the Brexit-inspired climate of uncertainty is putting consumers off making major investments.

The pound continues to struggle. On April 16, 2018 it was worth 1.16 ($1.49) against the euro, down to 1.12 on Jan 9. Having been worth 1.43 against the US dollar on that same date in April, by the same date in January, sterling was down to 1.28. And all of this before the country knows what Brexit will even look like.